IN 1844, TEXAS SIGNS THE “TREATY OF ANNEXATION” WITH THE UNITED STATES

IN 1853, NEW YORK ENACTS A LAW MAKING TRUANCY A FINABLE VIOLATION AND BEGINS CHARGING PARENTS $50 IF THEIR CHILDREN MISS SCHOOL WITHOUT REASON

IN 1861, CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS ATTACK FORT SUMTER IN SOUTH CAROLINA, STARTING THE CIVIL WAR

IN 1864, CONFEDERATE GENERAL AND KKK GRAND WIZARD NATHAN FORREST CAPTURES FORT PILLOW, TENNESSEE FOR THE SOUTH AND SLAUGHTERS 231 UNION SOLDIERS, MOST OF WHOM WERE BLACK

IN 1869, NORTH CAROLINA OUTLAWS THE KU KLUX KLAN

IN 1872, JESSE JAMES ROBS $1,500 FROM A BANK IN COLUMBIA, KENTUCKY

IN 1877, CATCHERS BEGIN WEARING MASKS IN BASEBALL GAMES

IN 1878, CORRUPT NEW YORK POLITICIAN BOSS TWEED DIES IN PRISON AT 55

IN 1900, THE FORAKER ACT PASSES CONGRESS MAKING PUERTO RICO A US TERRITORY

IN 1908, A FIRE IN CHELSEA, MASS DESTROYS 1500 BUILDINGS INCLUDING CITY HALL AND KILLS 15 PEOPLE. THE WINDS WERE SO STRONG THAT THE FIRE ONLY STOPPED WHEN IT HIT THE MYSTIC RIVER. IT BECAME KNOWN AS “THE FIRST GREAT CHELSEA FIRE” AFTER A SECOND FIRE BURNED THE SAME LOCATION IN 1973.

IN 1912, RED CROSS FOUNDER CLARA BARTON DIES AT 90

IN 1932, EDMUND GOULDING’S “GRAND HOTEL” PREMIERES. IT WOULD GO ON TO WIN BEST PICTURE AT THE 1932 ACADEMY AWARDS

IN 1941, THE BOSTON BRUINS DEFEAT THE DETROIT RED WINGS FOR THE STANLEY CUP

IN 1942, JAPAN KILLS 400 FILIPINO MILITARY OFFICERS IN BATAAN

IN 1945, PRESIDENT FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT DIES IN OFFICE OF A STROKE AND PRESIDENT HARY TRUMAN IS SWORN IN AS THE 33RD PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

IN 1954, BILL HALEY AND THE COMETS RECORD “ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK”

IN 1954, JOE TURNER RELEASES “SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL”

IN 1955, DR. JONAS SALK ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF A “SAFE AND EFFECTIVE” POLIO VACCINE

IN 1961, RUSSIAN COSMONAUT YURI GAGARIN IS THE FIRST MAN TO ORBIT THE EARTH

IN 1963, THE BEATLES RELEASE “FROM ME TO YOU”

IN 1963, POLICE IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA USE ATTACK DOGS AND CATTLE PRODS ON A CROWD OF PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATORS

IN 1966, THE FIRST B-52 BOMBERS ARE USED TO DROP BOMBS ON NORTH VIETNAM

IN 1966, JAN BERRY OF JAN AND DEAN CRASHES HIS CORVETTE WHILE ROUNDING A SHARP CURVE LEAVING HIS WITH BRIAN DEAD AND PARALYSIS. TWO YEARS EARLIER, JAN AND DEAN HAD A HIT WITH THE SONG “DEAD MAN’S CURVE”

IN 1967, THE ROLLING STONES ARE STOPPED AT AN AIRPORT AND SEARCHED FOR DRUGS, MAKING THEM MISS THEIR FLIGHT. AFTER MICK JAGGER GOT AGITATED, A FIGHT ENSUED AND HE WAS PUNCHED IN THE FACE BY AN AIRPORT OFFICIAL

IN 1968, 6,000 SHEEP DIE ON THE SKULL VALLEY INDIAN RESERVATION IN UTAH AFTER THE MILITARY TESTS A NERVE GAS IN NEARBY FIELDS. NOW KNOWN AS THE DUGWAY SHEEP INCIDENT, THE ARMY HAS NEVER ADMITTED RESPONSIBILITY, BUT THE TRIBE INSISTS IT DESTROYED THEIR ECONOMIC VIABILITY

IN 1969, THE 5TH DIMENSION GOES TO #1 WITH “AQUARIUS / LET THE SUNSHINE IN”

IN 1975, LINDA RONSTADT RELEASES “WHEN WILL I BE LOVED”

IN 1975, DAVID BOWIE ANNOUNCES IN A PLAYBOY INTERVIEW THAT HE IS RETIRING

IN 1976, ANNE RICE RELEASES “INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE”

IN 1980, THE US OLYMPIC COMMITTEE ENDORSES A BOYCOTT OF THE SUMMER GAMES IN MOSCOW

IN 1981, BOXER JOE LOUIS HAS A HEART ATTACK AND DIES AT 66

IN 1986, MICHAEL AND ARIANNA HUFFINGTON ARE MARRIED

IN 1987, “21 JUMP STREET” DEBUTS ON FOX

IN 1988, SONNY BONO IS ELECTED MAYOR OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA

IN 1989, BOXER SUGAR RAY ROBINSON DIES OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE AT 67

IN 1989, POLITICAL ACTIVIST ABBIE HOFFMAN DIES AT 53

IN 1989, GARTH BROOKS RELEASES HIS SELF TITLED DEBUT ALBUM

IN 1990, ALL MAJOR TUNA PRODUCERS BAND TOGETHER AND PLEDGE TO STOP BUYING TUNA FROM FISHERMAN WHO USE NETS THAT CAN ALSO CATCH DOLPHINS

IN 1990, JAMES BROWN IS RELEASED FROM PRISON INTO A WORK RELEASE CENTER AFTER SERVING 15 MONTHS

IN 1990, THE FIRST EVER DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED PARLIAMENT OF EAST GERMANY HOLDS ITS FIRST MEETING AND IMMEDIATELY ACKNOWLEDGES THE HOLOCAUST AND ASKS FOR FORGIVENESS FOR GERMANY’S RESPONSIBILITY

IN 1992, DISNEY OPENS THE EURO-DISNEY THEME PARK IN FRANCE

IN 1992, LENNY KRAVITZ AND LISA BONET DIVORCE

IN 1995, GOVERNOR GEORGE W. BUSH OF TEXAS DECLARES “SELENA DAY” AFTER THE SINGER WAS MURDERED TWO WEEKS EARLIER

IN 1997, R. KELLY GOES TO #1 WITH “I BELIEVE I CAN FLY”

IN 1999, PRESIDENT CLINTON IS CITED FOR CONTEMPT OF COURT AND GIVING “INTENTIONALLY FALSE STATEMENTS” IN HIS SEXUAL HARASSMENT LAWSUIT

IN 2000, METALLICA SUES NAPSTER FOR COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT

IN 2005, MARIAH CAREY RELEASES “THE EMANCIPATION OF MIMI”

IN 2007, THE US POST OFFICE BEGINS ISSUING THE FOREVER STAMP

IN 2009, THE UNITED STATES NAVY TAKES OUT 3 OF THE 4 PIRATES WHO CAPTURED THE MAERSK ALABAMA AND RECOVER KIDNAPPED CAPTAIN RICHARD PHILLIPS

IN 2015, HILLARY CLINTON ANNOUNCES SHE WILL SEEK THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION FOR PRESIDENT IN 2016